Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Why won’t President Donald Trump and his allies like J.D. Vance and Mike Johnson proudly defend the war in Iran on self-defense grounds? Ben Bayer of the Ayn Rand Institute argues that the answer lies in their embrace of Christian “just war theory” in their responses to Pope Leo XIV. For more, read "The Vance v. Vatican Dispute over 'Just War' in Iran Is Humiliating" in New Ideal: new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/the-vance-v-vatican-dispute-over
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ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARI's online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: newideal.aynrand.org
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Why won’t President Donald Trump and his allies like J.D. Vance and Mike Johnson proudly defend the war in Iran on self-defense grounds? Ben Bayer of the Ayn Rand Institute argues that the answer lies in their embrace of Christian “just war theory” in their responses to Pope Leo XIV. For more, read "The Vance v. Vatican Dispute over 'Just War' in Iran Is Humiliating" in New Ideal: new-ideal.aynrand.org/p/the-vance-v-vatican-dispute-over
Subscribe to ARI’s YouTube channel to make sure you never miss a video:
youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=AynRandInstitute
Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand Institute app:
– App Store itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARI's online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: newideal.aynrand.org
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![When It’s Rational to Blame “Both Sides”
In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute podcast, Ben Bayer and Onkar Ghate discuss both invalid and valid attempts to blame “both sides” of American politics for various outrages.
• [0:00] Introduction
• [1:42] False moral equivalence
• [9:14] “Two sides to every issue”
• [14:34] Political violence on both sides
• [32:31] Free speech hostility on both sides
• [42:26] Altruism encourages tribal warfare
• [58:28] Recognizing and resisting tribalism
Resources:
• Ayn Rand, “Doesn’t Life Require Compromise?”, The Virtue of Selfishness [https://courses.aynrand.org/works/doesnt-life-require-compromise/]
• Ayn Rand, “The Missing Link,” Philosophy: Who Needs It
• Ayn Rand, “Global Balkanization,” The Voice of Reason [https://courses.aynrand.org/works/global-balkanization/]
This episode was recorded on October 28, 2025.
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– Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: https://ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARIs online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: https://newideal.aynrand.org/
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![The Injustice of Recognizing a Palestinian State
In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Elan Journo and Nikos Sotirakopoulos discuss the recent recognition by major Western powers of a Palestinian state — examining who is rewarded and who is punished by this move.
Among the topics: covered:
0:00 Introduction
1:24: Rewarding evil, betraying the good
9:11 Denying reality
13:50 Manifestation of altruism
17:50 Empowering tyranny
Recommended in this podcast is Elan Journo’s book What Justice Demands: America and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict [https://www.amazon.com/dp/168261798X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_YnGOAbJEPTB0G].
The podcast was recorded on September 24, 2025 and posted on September 26, 2025. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Watch archived podcasts here: https://newideal.aynrand.org/podcasts/.
Subscribe to ARI’s YouTube channel to make sure you never miss a video:
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Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand Institute app:
– App Store https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: https://ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARIs online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: https://newideal.aynrand.org/
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![The UnitedHealthCare CEO Shooting: Americas Persecuted Minority, Targeted Again
In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Onkar Ghate and Nikos Sotirakopoulos discuss the reaction to the assassination of the UnitedHealthcare CEO and the hatred towards businessmen in America.
Among the topics covered:
● Examples of the culture treating businessmen as a persecuted minority;
● How CEOs provide value in health care despite government controls;
● Why saying that denying medical claims is violence perpetuates real violence;
● How seeing health care as a “right” distorts people’s view of insurance companies;
● How socialized medicine turns health care providers into serfs, not traders.
Mentioned in this podcast is Ayn Rand’s lecture “America’s Persecuted Minority: Big Business,” [https://ari.aynrand.org/issues/government-and-business/capitalism/americas-persecuted-minority-big-business/] also available in her book Capitalism: the Unknown Ideal [https://aynrand.org/novels/capitalism-the-unknown-ideal/?nab=0].
The podcast was recorded on December 13, 2024 and posted on December 18, 2024.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:00:18 Examples of businessmen as a persecuted minority
0:09:07 CEOs providing value in health care despite the government
0:16:00 Denying medical claims vs. real violence
0:21:13 Health care as a “right” and people’s view of insurance companies
0:25:52 Socialized medicine as turning health care providers into serfs
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Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand University app:
– App Store https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: https://ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARIs online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: https://newideal.aynrand.org/
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Visit ARI’s website for more about our content and programs: https://ari.aynrand.org/ The UnitedHealthCare CEO Shooting: Americas Persecuted Minority, Targeted Again](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jSUq16CPQwc/mqdefault.jpg)
![Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes, Heritage, and Conservatisms Moral Decay
In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Nikos Sotirakopoulos and ARI’s senior intellectuals make a deep dive into the moral crisis of the conservative movement.
Among the topics covered:
• [0:00] Introduction
• [6:10] Moral sanction
• [19:03] “Cancel culture” and free speech
• [34:26] Conservative tribalism
• [1:03:00] How ARI is different
Resources:
● Onkar Ghate’s lecture On Moral Sanction [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PfMEJa9OdM]
This episode was recorded on November 19, 2025
Subscribe to ARI’s YouTube channel to make sure you never miss a video:
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Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand Institute app:
– App Store https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: https://ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARIs online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: https://newideal.aynrand.org/
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![Integrating Science and Free Will
In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Tristan de Liège, Mike Mazza, Gregory Salmieri and Ben Bayer discuss Kevin Mitchell’s book, Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will [https://www.amazon.com/Free-Agents-Evolution-Gave-Will/dp/0691226237]
· 0:00 Introduction
· 11:20 Philosophy and science
· 26:02 The locus of free will
· 31:56 Moral responsibility
· 41:21 The relevance of quantum mechanics
· 1:01:08 Determinism
· 1:07:02 Aristotle
· 1:18:07 Randomness and indeterminacy
· 1:32:50 “Agent causation” vs entity causation
· 1:39:29 Blank slate
Resources:
• Harry Binswanger’s essay “Volition as Cognitive Self-Regulation.” [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/074959789190019P]
This episode was recorded on October 9, 2025.
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Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand Institute app:
– App Store https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: https://ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARIs online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: https://newideal.aynrand.org/
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![From Sanders to the Trump White House: The Crusade to Control AI
In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Robertas Bakula and Mike Mazza discuss two major developments in the AI industry: Bernie Sanders’ proposal for an AI wealth fund and the White House’s order to block access to Anthropic’s newest models.
• [0:00] Introduction
• [2:13] The Anthropic Ban
• [9:23] Fear-Mongering About Security
• [15:53] Fear-Mongering About Jobless Future
• [29:50] Is there “Collective Knowledge”?
• [42:10] Lack of Concern With Individual Rights
Resources:
● Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, “Marketing AI without Empowering Resentment” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRML1GMxiUg]
● Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, “Fear of Progress: The Quest to End Autonomous Driving” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49b6O7nOtZI&t]
This episode was recorded on June 16, 2026.
Image Credits:
Circuite: Tatiana Sviridova / Moment / via Gettuy Images
ChatGPT: Silas Stein / picture alliance / via Getty Images
Cladue: Samuel Boivin / NurPhoto / via Getty Images
Trump: Jim Watson / AFP / via Getty Images
Sanders: Frederic J. Brown / AFP / via Getty Images
Subscribe to ARI’s YouTube channel to make sure you never miss a video:
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Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand Institute app:
– App Store https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: https://ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARIs online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: https://newideal.aynrand.org/
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![RFK Jr.’s Irrational Anti-Vaccine Policies: Interview with Dr. Amesh Adalja
In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute podcast, Samantha Watkins interviews Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician and a senior scholar at the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University, about the alarming trend of anti-vaccine irrationality coming from government leaders.
Topics include:
● 00:00 Introduction
● 01:18 The state of vaccine science
● 08:12 Hepatitis B vaccine
● 12:42 Covid vaccine
● 29:53 The cause of conspiracism
● 35:56 The real-world impact of conspiracism
● 38:47 A healthy culture’s approach to vaccine science
Resources:
● “A Pro-Freedom Approach to Infectious Disease” by Onkar Ghate [https://newideal.aynrand.org/pandemic-response/], in which he shares ARI’s view of the role of government with respect to infectious disease
This episode was recorded on December 15, 2025.
Subscribe to ARI’s YouTube channel to make sure you never miss a video:
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Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand Institute app:
– App Store https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: https://ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARIs online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: https://newideal.aynrand.org/
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